The Changes

The Strathcona BIA wants to create community gardens throughout Strathcona to promote local food production, beautify the area, reduce crime, create green jobs for inner city youth and people facing multiple barriers to employment, and instill pride in the community.

We've applied for an Aviva Community Fund grant to create a Micro-Gardening program in Strathcona. The grants are given to the winners of an online voting contest, so if you are interested in the idea, please give us your vote!

Here's what the Micro-Gardening program is all about:

We propose to create 20 to 30 community micro-gardens throughout Strathcona. The gardens would be installed on private properties adjacent to public spaces in highly visible, underutilized areas.Depending on the nature and size of each location, the gardeners and the property owners would decide whether the plot should be a community garden, single-owner garden, or a living wall. Vegetation would consist of native perennials and edible plants.

The gardens would be installed by qualified landscapers of Mission Possible Enterprises, a local non-profit (and BIA member) that provides employment opportunities for individuals with job readiness barriers and assists in breaking the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and addiction. Local youth would also be employed as partners with the landscapers to learn valuable food production and community development skills.

Please help us make it happen by voting today: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf5454

There is a new farmers market in Vancouver at Station Street, near the Main Street SkyTrain Station on Wednesdays from 3 to 7pm. The site is a gem, with Thornton Park on one side and the stately Pacific Central Station on the other. You can get there by bus train, bike, foot and automobile.

Everything for sale there is of course local.

This most urban of Vancouver's farmers markets, is one of the locations for the BC Association of Farmers Markets' Coupon Project which helps low-income pregnant women and low income families with children to access fresh local BC produce. Vancouver Farmers Markets has been involved since the start of this project in 2007.

To reach out to those DTES residents who may not be part of the coupon program, VFM has created the Station Street Hospitality Tent where neighbours can sit, talk and enjoy some local fruit and vegetables while they're at the market. A monthly sponsorship of this tent is availble. To learn more contact the VFM office: info(a)eatlocal.org.

Local food shouldn't be a luxury. It is so good and right that fresh BC produce is now available for everyone in this downtown neighbourhood.

Vancity has been a long time supporter of the Vancouver Farmers Markets (since 1995!) and their Head office and local branch is just on the other side of Main St. Come down to the market on opening day, Wednesday June 10th, visit the Vancity tent, show your membership card and receive a free Vancity shopping bag.

See you there.

A 5 year goal:
1. Invite others to grow harvest eat play (you're invited!)
2. Grow harvest eat play (organically) in my small space
3. Inspire others in my community (i.e. strata complex, 140+ units) to grow harvest eat play too
4. Inspire others in local community (many stratas - townhouse jungle) to grow harvest eat play
4. Create community garden
5. Include family, especially 2-year old son, in all of the above